Chapter 3: Farah's Burial

The sky was grey, the atmosphere dense as all eyes were locked onto the two cases slowly making their descent into the ground. Ok each case was an emblem for the Golden Lantern, a brightly lit lantern that shone brightly draping across the casket diagonally.

All kinds of people some dressed in suits, others dressed in casual attire wore somber faces as the caskets hit the bottom however one was specifically bitter, his fists clenched and his teeth grit. "Farah!" He muttered the name of his sister who was now a corpse buried.

At the time he heard that her sister had passed away, he was skeptical till he was shown her body at the autopsy. Riddled with holes and her face in disbelief and pain. It was clear that she faced extreme anguish before she passed away and the one responsible made sure of that.

"It was the Crimson Sythe. An elite Dark Hold assassin whose loyalty lies with the highest bidder. Hard to trace and harder to kill let alone get into her vicinity." A breakdown handed to him at the time.

'Farah, I knew that you shouldn't have continued with this job and opted for something better.' He mused, tears teetering at the verge of his eyes however he didn't let them fall. He reminisced about the times he spent with his sister.

The dreams the two shared. The way she was so resilient with her mission of finding who killed their parents however it would seem that she wouldn't come to face the truth. 'I should have stopped you at the time.' His fingers dug deeper into his palms unaware that those around him slowly started to take their leave.

Another figure stood next to him, the air around him crisp and cold donned in a black overcoat and stylish leather gloves, clearly not a simple man. "She was a fierce one, always trying to save lives even when the odds seemed improbable."

However this statement didn't ease Rafiq at the slightest. His shoulders tensed, his teeth grinding harder as his fingers dug even deeper. The man continued. "She always wanted to save others and made it her top goal to make sure that others, human or not wouldn't suffer. It truly is a shame to lose such a valuable agent. I'm so sorry Rafiq."

The man's tone however wasn't as heavy, as if he was reading out of a cue card. "Why did she die the way she did? Mutilated in such a fashion. I want to know want to enroll in the Golden Lantern!" A light drizzle began.

"You're not a mutant Rafiq. Even if you want to avenge your sister, the one behind it isn't so easy to kill. We've been trying to track her down for months with little success." The man stated, his tone flat as if in a different scene altogether.

"Do you even feel anything about this death?" Rafiq questioned. The two were surrounded by plaques and gravestones of other Golden Lantern agents. Farah's could be considered nothing more than a drop of water in a vast expanse of a lake's magnitude.

"I know that I may not come off as sympathetic with my tone but that doesn't mean that I don't feel anything Rafiq. Here..." The man dug into his coat and brandished some memorabilia from Farah's and now Rafiq could see the face of the person he was talking to.

Slick back blonde hair, cold and detached air around him and a frame that signified power and demanded attention. His eyes crimson as he stretched out his arm, handing Rafiq a small antique golden locket that had some of it's paint withering off. Rafiq took it and placed it in his pockets.

"Then let me join, I'll do anything that you'll have me do. Scrub the halls, clean the guns. I'll even sleep on the halls even if I have to. Just let me in." His tone grounded and rough. It was clear that he was having a battle of his own in his mind.

"You do know that you're a civilian, right. You are in no position to do a mutants job." Renald's voice stern as he and Rafiq looked at Farah's grave. "I don't care. I'm her brother." Renald could tell that Rafiq wasn't taking a no for an answer to which he let out a light sigh.

***

Two weeks later, in a deep underground bunker masked by mountains and fog, Rafiq stepped through the reinforced doors of the Golden Lantern's training division.

He now wore a trainee uniform now. Grey, unadorned and simple. His hands bore blisters from hours of drills. His muscles ached from bruises earned sparring. He hadn't touched a gun before this, but he now hit every paper target with frightening consistency.

He still had no powers like mutants but that didn't hinder him whatsoever. But no one trained like him. Every day started with his sister's photo. Every meal was taken in silence. Every blow he took in the ring was another reminder of what had been stolen.

Instructors started to take notice. "He's a sponge." One muttered. "He just doesn't stop." Another whispered.

Renald would occasionally check in on him from the upper level of the training hall, arms folded. "He doesn't have to be strong. He just has to be angry enough to endure. And it would seem that that's enough."

***

Rafiq who was about to head back to training was interrupted by an instructor. That he was required by Renald in his office to which he reported without delay. The room was packed with lavish interior decorating. The air cool and calm as Renald studied his visitor with his fingers connected on the table, masking his face from he nose down.

"Rafiq, I've seen the effort that you put in and quite frankly I'm impressed." His voice quick and curt. He was a man who didn't like wasting time and Rafiq preferred it that way. "I appreciate the compliment Renald." Rafiq mused, the tone in his voice cold.

"I won't waste your time as to why I called you here. Apparently we've realized something perculiar with your sister's body. The injuries that she had, the shots were from a gun of White, her colleague during the mission. Thanks to recorded footage from Farah's earpiece, we're certain to conclude that White was the one responsible behind it."

Renald paused, trying to gauge any reaction that would come from Rafiq however he remained perfectly composed. "I'll be honest with you, with each passing day, the more I believe that this guild. This faction is already a husk filled with parasites and criminals alike. I wouldn't be surprised that there are more snakes in here than there are in the Dark Hold."

Renald rose to his feet, his hands locked behind his back as he stared down the glass projecting the trainees in rigorous exercise. "I've seen the desire burning behind your eyes and I'm sure that you're more than capable of exerting your revenge thus I'll have you go out for your first mission."

Rafiq's eyes never left Renald's back. "Pass it and you get to skip months of training that you've already covered and become a TorchBearer. Fail and you'll have to wait till you're done with your training. You're smart in terms of adaptability with technology and quick on your feet and with your mind. You'll have more detailed information handed to you."

Renald never once glanced back at Rafiq, his voice monotone as ever. "Thank you Renal-" Before Rafiq could finish, Renald cut him off. "But that doesn't mean that you'll be taking missions like handling Crimson Sythe. That takes time. You better be patient for that." Rafiq fell silent once more.

He stood up, his demeanor not agitated or angered but calm and poised. "I understand Renald and I appreciate what you've given me. I won't let you down." A faint chuckle echoed. "Don't do it for me but for your sister." An awkward silence occupied the room as Rafiq without another word took his leave.

Renald didn't have to say anything because he didn't need to.

***

Location: Sector 9 – Delvar City, formerly a thriving city with a dense population had now devolved into a den for all kinds of illicit affairs and a haven for stray mutants who lurked about. Some avoiding the watchful eye of the Golden Lantern as they could use their abilities with no restraint.

Time: 1:14 AM

A wet fog had settled low over the cracked streets, wrapping the buildings in a hazy shroud. Graffiti bled down the brick walls, old propaganda posters flapped weakly in the wind. The whole place reeked of oil and burnt wires.

From the alley, Rafiq moved like a shadow. His breath misted in the cold air, his boots silent on the damp concrete. He adjusted the strap of his gear bag, tapping the receiver clipped to his collar. "Control, this is Ember-9. I'm in position, approaching building 12B. Still no visual on the target." A female voice answered through static.

"Copy that, Ember-9. Thermal scan still shows single body inside. Be advised, the mutant specializes in minor-class telekinetic. Dangerous if cornered. Caution is heavily advised. Mental Disruptor is ready for detonation if you give the word."

Rafiq stopped at a floor right beneath Quint's floor in an abandoned room in the apartment. He pulled out a palm-sized scanner and swept it right on the ceiling. "His movements are erratic. Small objects are levitating all over. He's agitated." Rafiq's voice softly echoed through.

"You are not to engage unless containment is unavoidable. Reinforcements are twenty minutes out." Rafiq stared into the gloom, his jaw clenched. "Twenty minutes is too long. He'll draw too much attention before we get him. I'm dealing with it myself."